Ajoritsedere (Dere) Josephine Awosika
Tribute
Between chairing Access Bank Plc and mentoring her three children, Nigeria's Ajoritsedere (Dere) Josephine Awosika has governed with the same principled care in both corporate and family contexts. We honour the board meetings facilitated between phone calls with her children, and how her measure of success is not in profit margins but in the character of the children she's raising.
Profile
Dr. Ajoritsedere (Dere) Josephine Awosika is a distinguished businesswoman and administrator, currently serving as the chairwoman of Access Bank Plc. Born in Sapele, Delta State, she is the daughter of Festus Okotie-Eboh, Nigeria’s first Minister of Finance in the First Republic. Dr. Awosika’s educational background includes a degree in Pharmacy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and advanced degrees from the University of Bradford, UK, where she obtained both an MSc in Clinical Pharmacy and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Technology. Throughout her career, Dr. Awosika has held significant positions in the Nigerian public sector, including serving as Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministries of Internal Affairs, Science and Technology, and Power. She joined the board of Access Bank Plc in April 2013 as an Independent Non-Executive Director and was appointed chairwoman on January 8, 2020. Beyond her role at Access Bank, she contributes to various organizations, serving on the boards of Capital Express Assurance Ltd, Josephine Consulting Limited, the Council of the University of Warri , the African Initiative for Governance, and Med-In Pharmaceuticals Limited.